The Zimbabwe tour of New Zealand 2012 will consist of 1 Test, 3 ODI Matches and 2 Twenty20 to be hosted by New Zealand in Jan-Feb 2012.

New Zealand vs Zimbabwe – Crickets live January 27, 2012

Venue: McLean Park, Napier

Toss: Zimbabwe

Umpires: Enamul Haque (Ban) & Rod Tucker (Aus)

Third Umpire: Nigel Llong (Eng)

Match Referee: David Boon (Aus)

RESOURCE: CLICK HERE TO WATCH CRICKETS LIVE NEW ZEALAND VS ZIMBABWE LIVE STREAM

The Zimbabwe tour of New Zealand 2012 bilateral series is a part of Future Cricket Tour Programs (FTP) prepared by International Cricket Council (ICC). New Zealand will host this bilateral series, beginning on January 26, 2012.

On game previews the New Zealand resumed with their score on 311/5 with captain Ross Taylor on 111 and BJ Watling on 15. Taylor (122) appeared crisp and fluent at the crease but was only able to add 10 runs to his score before he was forced to retire hurt due to a calf injury he sustained when attempting to run a quick single.

Zimbabwe gets set to host New Zealand in a one-off Test match and while eyes may be on matches with higher profiles in Abhu Dhabi and Adelaide, Napier will provide the testing ground for character of both teams.

And new batsman Doug Bracewell was given a serious life when he was dropped by Forster Mutiziwa from the bowling of Shingi Masakadza. He finished the day unbeaten on 11 from 14 balls with two fours whilst BJ Watling (52 from 97 deliveries with 7 fours) brought up his fifty with a streaky edge from the final ball before rain halted play for the day.

New Zealand and Zimbabwe played one of the Tests of the year in 2010, in Bulawayo, which ended in a thrilling 34-run win for the visitors. The Zimbabwe tour is a curtain raiser to South Africa’s arrival in New Zealand later in the summer and the hosts will want to use what is effectively a warm-up tour to fine-tune their plans.

For the first time since making their Test comeback in August last year, they will play away from the comfort of Harare or Bulawayo. While still finding their feet in the longest form of the game, they will also have to quickly assess and understand the ground beneath it as they adapt to foreign conditions. Their captain, Brendan Taylor, has already spent time in New Zealand playing in the HRV Cup and his insights will be valuable.

Under Alan Butcher, Zimbabwe have formed a close-knit and increasingly confident unit but this match will test those bonds and other aspects of their game. The result matters less for them than the manner in which it is achieved and how they perform in this match will provide a good yardstick for measuring Zimbabwe’s progress.

New Zealand: (probable) 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Brendon McCullum, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Ross Taylor (capt), 5 Dean Brownlie, 6 Daniel Vettori, 7 BJ Watling (wk), 8 Doug Bracewell, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Trent Boult, 11 Chris Martin.

Zimbabwe: (probable) 1 Tino Mawoyo, 2 Hamilton Masakadza, 3 Regis Chakabva, 4 Brendan Taylor (capt), 5 Tatenda Taibu, 6 Malcolm Waller, 7 Elton Chigumbura, 8 Graeme Cremer, 9 Shingi Masakadza, 10 Kyle Jarvis, 11 Brian Vitori.

The game between New Zealand against Zimbabwe 2012 is an international bilateral series to be organized by New Zealand and will aired live on Jan, 27 2012.

Article posted as Arts & Entertainment

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